Khusro Bakhtiar for technology driven knowledge based economy in Pakistan

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan: The Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Reform Makhdoom Khusro Bakhtiar has underlined the need for transforming Pakistan from agriculture base to technology driven knowledge based economy to compete at the international level.

“Knowledge based economy provides the basis of sustainable socio-economic development,” the minister said while talking to the former Federal Minister For Science & Technology and the former Chairman Higher Education Commission (HEC) Dr. Atta-ur-Rahman in Islamabad on Wednesday.

Khusro Bakhtiar emphasized upon promotion of science and technology that can provide innovative and creative solutions for progress and betterment of society.

The minister said that economic development of a Country does not depend solely on natural resources but also on intellectual capital, quality human resource, development of industry and value added production.

The planning and development minister noted that in today’s world knowledge is now the main driving force behind leading economies adding that knowledge contributes significantly to economic growth.

Khusro Bakhtiar added that focusing on high-tech manufacturing and exports will not only boost the national economy but also provide opportunity to capture its due share in the global market.

During the meeting, Dr. Atta-ur-Rahman informed that a national task force on ‘Technology driven knowledge economy’ is being set up under the Chairmanship of Prime Minister Imran Khan of which he will be the Vice Chairman. The task force will comprise all key stakeholders to chalk out the way forward to a knowledge based economy.

Dr. Atta-ur-Rahman apprised that the proposed task force will cover various sectors, wherein emphasis will be laid on promotion of technology and knowledge to attain maximum dividends including agriculture, energy, water resources and IT sector.